Leia N. Says:
Can we access French healthcare if we move there? How would that work?
IL France Correspondent Tuula Rampont Says:
Hi Leia,
Everyone in France is guaranteed healthcare—no matter what your age, occupation, our income level. There are no pre-existing condition restrictions, and anyone who has lived in the country for three months can apply to be part of the system. France just needs to be your place of residence for six months of the year.
This is especially exciting news for people looking to retire abroad. In order to obtain legal residency in France, you’ll need to apply for a Long-Stay Visa—which is not difficult to obtain.
After arriving in France, you will complete an online form at the three-month mark and be given a temporary healthcare number. This would be equivalent to a Social Security number back at home. Your healthcare card will arrive to your home shortly thereafter.
You will then be eligible get 70 to 80% off medical services, and up to 100% off of prescription drug—which are already at rock bottom crises compared to the United States. The fees to see a general practitioner are already incredibly low at €25, about $29 a visit, without the reduction.
Once on the system, you qualify for a 70% reimbursement on that same doctor’s visit—meaning that you’ll pay about $9 to see a doctor in France. Since prices are fixed by the government, that fee has not been changed in over 10 years, with no foreseeable increases for the near future.
The cost to see a specialist is €50 ($55) which comes out to around $13 out-of-pocket after the 70% reimbursement. Hospital stays are covered at 80%, and any stays over a month are 100% reimbursed for the duration of the treatment.
Read more about healthcare in France in Chapter 8 of our Escape to France guidebook.
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